This weekend the Frontier Fest and the second USDM's Decendant's Day event will be held at Fort Smith. One event I'll be sure to attend is described by the local paper as follows: "Guided tours at the FSNHS [National Historic Site] will provide interesting insights into the altercation--and shootout--between the U.S. marshals and the Dalton Gang in November 1887."

Is this a misprint? Have I forgotten something? To the best of my knowledge there was no such shootout at the time described. As late as 1891 the younger Dalton boys were themselves USDMs or paid posseemen.

?????

--meursault

This was the earlier Dalton gang. Just joking. Sometimes people in trying to market events loose sight of the objective or add information that may not be researched or validated. I am sure the marshals had many shootouts in 1887, but it wasn't with the Dalton gang. See you in Fort Smith.

Perhaps they were a bit confused. Frank Dalton, himself a Deputy US Marshal, was shot and killed in the line of duty by Dave Smith and Will Towerly on November 27, 1887.

Frank was a brother to the infamous Daltons, Bill, bob, Grat and Emmett.